God
Yiga Choeling Monastery of Ghoom is one of the oldest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries that belong to the Gelukpa or the Yellow Hat sect. One of the key attractions inside the monastery is the 15-foot model of the Lord Buddha which is known as The Maitreya Buddha or the Gyalwa Shampa which means the Buddha of the future or the Coming Buddha. This statue was created with clay that was all brought from Tibet.
Interesting Facts
- In front of the Buddha's statue two huge oil lamps keep burning all the time and all through the year.
Best Season To Visit
The best season to visit the temple is Winter season. The best months to visit are September to February.
Weather
Highest - April to June (45°C during day and 35°C during night)Average - May (35°C during the day and 25°C during night)Lowest - December to February (26°C during day and 21°C during night)Monsoon season - August to October
Dress Code
- For men the dress code is Shirt & Trouser, Dhoti or Pyjamas with upper cloth.
- For women the preferred dress code is saree or half-saree with blouse or chudidhar with pyjama and upper cloth.
- Shorts, mini-skirts, middies, sleeveless tops, low-waist jeans and short-length T-shirts are not allowed.
Do's & Dont's
- Do bathe and wear clean clothes before you enter the temple.
- Do respect ancient customs and co-piligrims while at temple.
- Smoking and drinking is prohibited in this temple.
- Chewing betel leaves, tobacco, gutka and spitting inside temple is strictly prohibited.
transport connections
| Name | Distance | Contact Number |
|---|---|---|
 Siliguri & Takdah Bus Stand |
7 KM | 033-25443542 |
 Naksalbari Railway Station |
67.4 KM | 139 |
 Bagdogra Airport |
65 KM | 0353-2698431 |
Architecture
With its traditional architecture and golden exterior detailing, the monastery itself is a sight to behold. The architecture of this religious institution would remind you of Tibet. The arches and multiple spires on the roof, some archetypal East Asian features, making this monastery look quite fascinating. It is famous for its beautiful Thangka on the walls, fancy bells, and drums. This attraction in Darjeeling is a storehouse of Tibetan translations of popular Sanskrit works such as Meghadoot by Kalidasa, Nagamandala by Sriharsa and NyayaKrit by Dharmakriti, to name a few. These beautiful paintings are placed symmetrically, facilitating the ease of understanding the basics of Buddhist philosophy to visitors of the monastery. Inside the Yiga Choeling Monastery there are images of many Buddha deities and lamas such as the Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara), Buddha of compassion, and Tsongkhapa who was the founder of the Gelupka sect to which the Monastery belongs. There is a large collection of Buddha's manuscripts inside that includes a 108-volume Kangyur - The Tibetan Buddhist Gospel. There are also bells and a huge drum inside.
History
Yiga Choeling Monastery or the Ghoom Monastery was built by the monk and a famous astrologer Lama Sherab Gyatso in 1850. He was the first head of the monastery and continued his tenure until 1905. The 15-foot statue of the Buddha was constructed during the tenure of the second head of the monastery Lama Domo Geshe Rinpoche (1910 - 1952). He too later went back to Tibet. During the Chinese occupation of 1959 in Tibet many high ranking abbots fled to India and took refuge in the monastery. In 1961, Dhardo Rimpoche became head of the Yiga Choeling monastery Ghoom, Darjeeling. He died in 1990 and three years later a boy named Tenzin Legshad Wangdi was recognized as his reincarnation. On 25 April 1996 he was enthroned at Kalimpong Tibetan ITBCI school. The thirteenth in the line of Tulkus, Tenzin Legshad Wangdi, still goes by the name of Dhardo Tulku. He is studying Tibetan Philosophy at Drepung Loseling University in South India.
Temple Timings
| Day | Timings |
|---|---|
| All Days | 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM |
Tours
Airports
| Airport Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Shamshabad | 40 KM |
| Lorem Ipsum | 12 KM |
Railway Stations
| Railway Station Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| Secunderabad | 10 KM |
| Nampally | 12 KM |
| Begumpet | 6 KM |
| Lingampally | 20 KM |
Bus Stations
| Bus Station Name | Distance |
|---|---|
| MGBS | 35 KM |
| CBS | 28 KM |
| kukatpally | 20 KM |
| Lingampally | 30 KM |
| Uppal | 35 KM |
Private Transports
| Transport Name | Distance | Contact Number |
|---|---|---|
| Private Transport | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
| Private Transport1 | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
| Private Transport1 | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
| Private Transport1 | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
| Private Transport1 | 8 KM | 9546858757 |
Local Transports
| Transport Name | Distance | Contact Number |
|---|---|---|
| Local Transport | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
| Local Transport1 | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
| Local Transport1 | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
| Local Transport1 | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
| Local Transport1 | 5 KM | 9546858757 |
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GANGAMAYA PARK
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Beautiful gardens & waterfalls make the place a heavenly
Rope Way
DARJEELING ROPEWAY
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Darjeeling Ropeway is India's first cable car system
Museum
RABINDRA MUSEUM
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It houses a fine collection of Indian and western style
Trekking
SINGALILA NATIONAL PARK TREK
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It is the highest national park in West Bengal
Dam
TEESTA LOW DAM IV
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It is a run of the river scheme with diurnal storage for peaking
Wildlife
MAHANANDA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
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It is a great place to enjoy the beauty of nature
Outdoor
DREAMLAND AMUSEMENT PARK
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It is famous for snow park,go-karts and 7D Theatre
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